Latest Stories
Supporters-turned critics: Sales tax for east side projects ‘went off the rails’; KCMO mayor defends effort’s progress
Editor’s note: This in-depth reporting project was originally published by Kansas City PBS/Flatland, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, The Kansas City Beacon, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. Revenue flows in faster than it gets disbursed for projects If you…
Film to promote Walt Disney’s historic Kansas City animation studio gets $10K boost
Efforts to restore the original Laugh-O-gram Studio building along Troost Avenue are getting a bump from a Missouri Humanities grant and a matching donation from a longtime local supporter of the arts in Kansas City. Thank You Walt Disney — a not-for-profit dedicated to the preservation and restoration of Walt Disney’s first animation studio, the…
Feds award $500K for Goodwill, LaunchCode jobs training effort through STEM Tech Challenge
Nearly a half-million dollars in federal funds are expected to help two local programs forge a new STEM-based job training initiative to help Kansas City-region job seekers find permanent high-wage careers in tech. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, on Wednesday announced a $499,196 award from the U.S. Department of Commerce to Goodwill MoKan (Goodwill of…
JQ Sirls is the king of his own universe; his new book puts a distinctly Black hero at the center of it
JQ Sirls started popping through the multiverse as a child; escaping through various worlds and alternate realities via stories like “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Peter Pan,” and “The Wizard of Oz” — as well as magical realms he created himself. “Those are my DNA,” said Sirls, a Kansas City-based author, artist and the entrepreneur behind…
His KC theater shines spotlight on queer voices; How one playwright is giving stage time to a new wave of talent
Kansas City’s theater scene should be a safe and comfortable space, said Kevin King, detailing his effort to specifically provide a place where queer voices can not only feel heard, but celebrated. “Since 2019, we’ve been basically gay all the time,” said King, producing artistic director at Whim Productions, an LGBTQ+ theater company with a…
Premiere Kansas City startup acquired by Texas-based IoT leader in proptech industry
The acquisition of Crossroads-built Homebase by Lone Star State smart home innovator Quext brings together two of the most disruptive companies in the space, said Blake Miller, founder of the premiere Kansas City startup. The move — creating a single source for multifamily operators to get the best-in-class smart community and managed WiFi solutions their…
Starlight wants to add a canopy to KC’s famed outdoor theater; Here’s what else its $40M capital campaign would bring
Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. If fully funded, the campaign will make capital improvements across the entire Starlight campus — including the construction of a production…
Olathe brothers opening vintage clothing storefront; next-generation founder eyes serial entrepreneurship
A pair of brothers are rolling open the garage door on their first brick-and-mortar venture this weekend, turning a curated online source for vintage clothing into a physical storefront in Kansas City’s Westside neighborhood. Thomas and Reade Rex are set to host The Rex Catalog’s grand opening 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct….
Why Bay Area investors are shifting their gaze from tech to on-the-ground ag innovations
Agriculture innovation is at a capital-fueled crossroads, said Josh Svaty, describing a growing appetite from well-funded West Coast investors who are hungry for high-yield Midwest solutions. Climate change — and the challenges it poses across industries — is seeding much of that interest, explained the Kansas farmer, former politician, and investor; speaking to Startland News before…
Foresight announces $100K investment for its AI-fueled fintech fraud solution for banks
Fresh off completing the Tulsa Techstars Accelerator and NXSTAGE fintech competition in Wichita, a busy Kansas City startup just announced a $100,000 investment from Northwestern Mutual. Foresight — an artificial intelligence platform from serial entrepreneur and investor Jannae Gammage — earned a spot in Northwestern Mutual’s Black Founder Accelerator program alongside four other Black-owned tech…
